US3898125A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Nuclear fuel element containing strips of an alloyed Zr, Ti and Ni getter material
Assignee: General Electric Co
•
Filing: 1971-12-08
•
Granted: 1975-08-05
•
Expires: 1991-12-08
Abstract
Abstract A nuclear fuel element for use in the core of nuclear reactor is disclosed. The nuclear fuel element has disposed therein an alloy having the essential components of nickel, titanium and zirconium, and the alloy reacts with water, water vapor and reactive gases at reactor ambient temperatures. The alloy is disposed in the plenum of the fuel element in the form of strips and preferably the strips are positioned inside a helical member in the plenum. The position of the alloy strips permits gases and liquids entering the plenum to contact and react with the alloy strips.
Inventors
- 👤 Leonard N Grossman
- 👤 Douglas R Packard
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 06:15
CPC Classifications
G; G21; G21C; G21C3/00; G21C3/02; G21C3/04; G21C3/16; G21C3/17; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E30/00; Y02E30/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
129 words
A NUCLEAR FUEL ELEMENT WHICH COMPRISES AN ELONGATED CONTAINER A BODY OF NUCLEAR FUEL MATERIAL DISPOSED IN AND PARTIALLY FILLING SAID CONTAINER AND FORMING AN INTERNAL CAVITY AN END CLOSURE INTEGRALLY SECURED AND SEALED AT EACH END OF SAID CONTAINER A FUEL MATERIAL RESTRAINING MEMBER POSITIONED IN SAID CAVITY AND A MULTPLICITY OF STRIPS COMPRISED OF A TERNARY ALLOY POSITIONED IN SAID CAVITY THE FUEL MATERIAL RESTRAINING MEMBER IS A HELICAL MEMBER AND THE MULTIPLICITY OF STRIPS ARE DISPOSED WITHIN THE HELICAL MEMBER IN SAID CAVITY THE ALLOY BEING COMPRISED OF FROM ABOUT 3 TO ABOUT 12 WEIGHT PERCENT NICKEL OF GREATER THAN 3 TO ABOUT 30 WEIGHT PRCENT TITANIUM AND THE BALANCE IS ZIRCONIUM AND THE ALLOY BEING A GETTERING MATERIAL FOR WATER WATER VAPOR AND REACTIVE GASES.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
129 words
A NUCLEAR FUEL ELEMENT WHICH COMPRISES AN ELONGATED CONTAINER A BODY OF NUCLEAR FUEL MATERIAL DISPOSED IN AND PARTIALLY FILLING SAID CONTAINER AND FORMING AN INTERNAL CAVITY AN END CLOSURE INTEGRALLY SECURED AND SEALED AT EACH END OF SAID CONTAINER A FUEL MATERIAL RESTRAINING MEMBER POSITIONED IN SAID CAVITY AND A MULTPLICITY OF STRIPS COMPRISED OF A TERNARY ALLOY POSITIONED IN SAID CAVITY THE FUEL MATERIAL RESTRAINING MEMBER IS A HELICAL MEMBER AND THE MULTIPLICITY OF STRIPS ARE DISPOSED WITHIN THE HELICAL MEMBER IN SAID CAVITY THE ALLOY BEING COMPRISED OF FROM ABOUT 3 TO ABOUT 12 WEIGHT PERCENT NICKEL OF GREATER THAN 3 TO ABOUT 30 WEIGHT PRCENT TITANIUM AND THE BALANCE IS ZIRCONIUM AND THE ALLOY BEING A GETTERING MATERIAL FOR WATER WATER VAPOR AND REACTIVE GASES.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
A nuclear fuel element of claim 1 in which the nuclear fuel material is a mixture comprised of uranium dioxide and plutonium dioxide.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
A nuclear fuel element of claim 1 in which the strips have dimensions of about 5 to about 10 mils in thickness, about one-eighth to one-fourth inch in width and a length of about 3 to about 4 inches.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
A nuclear fuel element of claim 1 in which the ternary alloy has an intermetallic nickel-containing phase.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
A nuclear fuel element of claim 1 in which the ternary alloy is comprised of about 4 weight percent nickel, about 11 weight percent titanium and the balance is zirconium.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
A nuclear fuel element of claim 1 in which the ternary alloy is comprised of about 12 weight percent nickel, about 11 weight percent titanium and the balance is zirconium.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
A nuclear fuel element of claim 1 in which the ternary alloy is comprised of about 5 weight percent nickel, 10 weight percent titanium and the balance is zirconium.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
A nuclear fuel element of claim 1 in which the fuel material restraining member is a helical member and the helical member is comprised of stainless steel.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
A nuclear fuel element of claim 1 iN which the elongated container is comprised of a metal selected from the class consisting of zirconium, zirconium alloys, stainless steel, aluminum, aluminum alloys, niobium, niobium alloys and magnesium alloys.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
A nuclear fuel element of claim 1 in which the nuclear fuel material is selected from the group consisting of uranium compounds, plutonium compounds, thorium compounds and mixtures thereof.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
A nuclear fuel element of claim 1 in which the nuclear fuel material is comprised of uranium dioxide.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
147 words
In a method for producing a nuclear fuel element, the improvement which comprises partly filling a clad container with nuclear fuel material leaving a cavity at one end which is open, inserting a helical member into said cavity, inserting into said cavity a multiplicity of strips of a gettering material for water, water vapor and reactive gases comprised of a ternary alloy, the alloy being comprised of from about 3 to about 12 weight percent nickel, of greater than 3 to about 30 weight percent titanium and the balance is zirconium, applying an end closure to the end of the clad container leaving the cavity in communication with the nuclear fuel, and then bonding the end of the clad container to said end closure to form a tight seal therebetween, whereby said ternary alloy is exposed to water, water vapor and reactive gases within the clad container.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
147 words
In a method for producing a nuclear fuel element, the improvement which comprises partly filling a clad container with nuclear fuel material leaving a cavity at one end which is open, inserting a helical member into said cavity, inserting into said cavity a multiplicity of strips of a gettering material for water, water vapor and reactive gases comprised of a ternary alloy, the alloy being comprised of from about 3 to about 12 weight percent nickel, of greater than 3 to about 30 weight percent titanium and the balance is zirconium, applying an end closure to the end of the clad container leaving the cavity in communication with the nuclear fuel, and then bonding the end of the clad container to said end closure to form a tight seal therebetween, whereby said ternary alloy is exposed to water, water vapor and reactive gases within the clad container.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 12 in which the ternary alloy has an intermetallic nickel-containing phase.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method according to claim 12 in which the ternary alloy is comprised of about 4 weight percent nickel, about 11 weight percent titanium and the balance is zirconium.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method according to claim 12 in which the ternary alloy is comprised of about 12 weight percent nickel, about 11 weight percent titanium and the balance is zirconium.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 12 in which the ternary alloy is comprised of about 10 weight percent titanium, 5 weight percent nickel and the balance is zirconium.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method according to claim 12 in which the container is metallic.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to claim 12 in which the multiplicity of strips is inserted into the helical member.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1151160A
Cited
US2242101A
Cited
US3082174A
Cited
US3141830A
Cited
US3319107A
Cited
US3378458A
Cited
US3519537A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-08-04 | 1979-02-03 | 1979-08-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-08-04 | 1983-02-03 | 1983-08-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-08-04 | 1987-02-03 | 1987-08-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |